Bustling with workers from office towers, patrons of various theatres, sports fans heading to and from games and tourists visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame and other attractions, the downtown core boasts a bevy of venues from which to choose.
OLD STANDBYS For drinks after work, an al fresco lunch, dinner out or an evening of dancing and drinks, one of the well-established, medium-priced venues on The Esplanade just east of Yonge is sure to suit. All four venues — Fionn MacCool’s (70 The Esplanade, 416-362-2495), Bier Markt (58 The Esplanade, 416-862-7575), Scotland Yard (56 The Esplanade, 416-364-6572) and the family-oriented Old Spaghetti Factory (54 The Esplanade, 416-864-9761) — have huge capacities and large patios. Stick to checking out your fellow patrons, though — the street view is all tour buses pulling up to the adjacent Novotel and tricky SUV parking.
Jack Astor’s (144 Front W., 416-585-2121) has a pretty, tulip-bordered patio along its east side — lovely for drinks and snacks before or after a baseball game. Just west is The Loose Moose (146 Front W., (416-977-8840), which is renowned for its burgers. Adding to this block’s drinking and dining options are the Canyon Creek Chophouse (156 Front W., 416-596-2240), The OverDraught Irish Pub (156 Front W., 416-408-3925) and Joe Badali’s (156 Front W., 416-977-3064), all within spitting distance of that giant sports stadium we refuse to call by its new name.
The generously sized patio at the Hot House Café (35 Church, 416-366-7800) is perfect for summer gatherings large and small, and on less nice days you can sit inside and watch passersby from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Hot House serves pizzas, pastas and burgers and is famous for its extensive Sunday brunch buffet, available from 9:30am to 3pm.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK With Pat Riley (ex of Perigee) recently having taken over as chef, The Garden @ Eleven (11 Jarvis, 416-981-1919) now specializes in light, fresh fare, perfect for enjoying at the height of summer on the modest-sized, perfect-for-people-watching patio.
New to Front Street — but not to the ’hood — is Le Papillon, opening this month at 69 Front E. (416-363-3773), There, on the petite patio or in the newly renovated interior, you’ll be able to partake of the longstanding restaurant’s fabled french fare.
BEST PLACE TO GOOGLE AND GUZZLE The Wi-Fi-enabled, deli-riffic Shopsy’s (33 Yonge, 416-365-3333) patio is the perfect place to sit and catch up with email, research your novel or search online for a job. To preserve your precious social life, though, we do recommend logging off Facebook before your fourth beer is served.